Tag Archives: Lets BEE Friends link-up

Let’s BEE Friends with Shannon!

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It’s that time again. It’s the end of the week, the beginning of the weekend and time for Let’s BEE Friends !

You know you’re excited!

Today, I have Shannon from the blog, My New Favourite Day!  She’s a whole lot of awesome which is why she’s hanging with me today.

She’s hear to tell all …. but if you think you know her already, she’s scrounged up 10 new facts you might not know.

There’s always stuff to tell … so lend her your eyes and read, read, read!

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10 Things about Me.

I am so excited to be here today with Bruna.  The whole “Let’s Bee Friends” concept is right up my alley, so thank you so much Bruna for hosting me and to all of you, I do hope we will “Bee Friends!”

10.  I grew up in Ashland, Oregon, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  A paradox in quaintness as a picturesque hometown and people that drink sulpher water on a regular basis (nope, not even kidding, we know how to get our crunchy on)

9.  I speak Japanese. I was a Japanese language major in college and without having ever been to Japan I moved there for 2 years after college to teach English to Junior and Elementary school minis as part of the JET program.

8.  I have the heart of a small town country girl living in the big city of Los Angeles.  My husband KSP calls me a country mouse because of my tendency to like and trust most people and my belief that hospitality is a nice thing to do, is not something that should make you suspicious of motives!

7.  I am the oldest of 4 girls.  I most definitely subscribe to the birth order theory as I always over-achieved and tend to be somewhat of a mother hen.  If you are need of nurturing, advice, a non-judgemental ear, someone to shop or drink wine with, I am your gal

6. I LOVE fashion, wine, food and all things fun and fabulous.  Pinterest may have been created for someone like me; except for the crafty part, I so want to be crafty but alas I am not.

5. I am pretty sure I would win the amazing race.  I am competitive, love to travel and am adventurous (except for eating, I am not really a big fan of eating weird things), and if the 3 are combined forget about it, I am likely the first in line to dive off a cliff.

4.  I believe in hard work. I grew up in a single parent household where chores meant being part of a family. I paid for my own college and graduate school (make that still paying) and when my dad said to me in the car my sophomore year in highschool that one day I would be glad I had to work hard for what I have, tears streamed down my face as I questioned him.  Now, I couldn’t be more happy for knowing what this means as it’s helped me have a great career working on some of the most amazing shows in TV History (from a business perspective) such as American Idol, The Apprentice, Rockstar, X-Factor, The Price is Right,  and now I have been able to start my own consulting company to help others while working from home with my minis.

3.  I whole-heartedly believe everything happens for a reason.  The last 3 years have been the hardest years of my life.  Having our twins Q and E 3 months early and nearly losing them several times has forever changed my perspective and outlook.  I start each day being grateful for their lives. I give kisses and hug freely and constantly.  In moments of frustration I ground myself in the thought of how far we have come.  In the last year, my daughter E has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (aka brain damage) which has opened up a completely new world for our family.  Advocacy, acceptance, finding my own voice and working with others to find theirs has become my passion and my anchor.  My minis, as I call them, are my greatest gift and if my entire lens of my life is focused through our experience with them, I will have priorities straight and my heart and voice in the right place.

2. My husband KSP are better together now than the day we got married 4  ½ years ago, although it feels like 20!  Making decisions together about the medical health of our children forced us into a new realm of communication and made me realize I had to process externally more instead of internally. Starting ‘Mynewfavoriteday’ helped me to do this as I tend to keep and process feelings inside, but when you are talking about life threatening and altering procedures, this internal processing no longer becomes an option and I had to change my behavior. Through this change and my ability to process through my blog, my love for him has deepened in a way I could have never expected.

1. I deeply and wholeheartedly believe that there is something in each day that can make a day ‘anewfavoriteday.’ It may sound cliché, but if it’s nothing more than the fact you are alive and breathing, that’s a good place to start.  I do not believe that any of us are defined by one thing but rather the sum of our parts. The experiences we have are our parts, and most of those experiences will never be seen by the external world.  They build up to make us who we are, how we react to things and the choices we make.  Somewhere in there are little bits, little nuggets of things that we can grab onto to make the day good.  Breathing in and out, a roof over your head, the heartbeat of your child, the smile or touch of your partners, the love of a pet, the laughter of a friend, the support of a co-worker. The moment may be fleeting, but we can take those things with us to be grateful, grateful for the moment and ultimately grateful for that day and that day alone.  No need to look back or forward, just that day.

My favourite places:
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/mynewfavoriteday
Blog: Http://mynewfavoriteday.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/newfavoriteday

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As with all blog hops:
1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ AND tell everyone else you know to link-up with us for Let’s BEE Friends too!

Let’s BEE Friends with Nadia!

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Welcome back! Are you ready for another Let’s BEE Friends link-up?  If yes, grab the button code from my side bar, add it to your favourite post from the week and link-it up down below. Once you’ve done that, grab a cup of Jo, sit back and relax. You are about to meet and get to know another fabulous Mom blogger today.

Are you ready to be bedazzled?

Today’s guest is special to me because … she’s a gal I met only a few months ago via Twitter.  Her name is Nadia.  Not only did I begin to chat with her on Twitter, I started talking to her because I absolutely *loved* the design of her blog, Mama and the City, and had to tell her so. Through Twitter, I learned that Nadia was a local gal who lives within an hours drive of me. Over the holidays, I invited her to join me in a tweet-up (#MotherOfAllTweetUps) I organized with Amanda from Lilahbility.  Not knowing anyone in the group except for talking with them briefly on The Twitter, Nadia obliged and joined us for dinner.  I’m pretty sure I can speak for everyone at the tweet-up and say that we all fell in love with Nadia’s genuine, spunky and caring personality.  The girl brought us all chocolates for goodness sakes!  How could we not like her?

Wanna read more about Mama and the City?
Here’s 10 things she’s sharing with us today!
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First,  let me say that I am immensely happy that Bruna is having me here at her sacred space. Second, it was about freaking time! Hee hee.

And to honor my desire for making lists, here is a list of random facts you may not know about this mama:

I go by Afrodita. The story behind my alias is when I was in University my favorite teacher used to write for the University paper. His preference was poetry and I couldn’t give a crap about it, until he came with a piece he wrote in my “honor”. He called it Afrodita, the Greek version of my name Venus. This piece of poetry about me made me think about myself differently. I have, ever since, signed under that name in some places of the internet world.

 I am a career mom. Working as an Inventory Manager at a biotech company has been exciting and it brings something new to learn every day, I love it. I like that my job is in the downtown area and allows me to keep me around the happening zone. Plus I have great access to all the foodie chains, this is very important to keep your mind focused. Trust me.

 I have a mild case of OCD. I don’t think I do, I call it being clean, organized and good time management. My husband thinks otherwise. I am a firm believer of the following, which if I could I’ll frame it all over the world. So, my husband keeps saying “case in point” over and over.

If you get it out, put it away
If you open it, close it
If you finish it, replace it
If it’s full, empty it
If you take it off, hang it up
If it’s dirty, wash it
If it’s garbage, trash it

 I strive to own good underwear. I don’t need to go in details here, but seriously, do not neglect your panties or bra’s, they are there to hold you. Do not take them for granted.

 I consider myself an economist, but some people might label me as stingy. Money wasn’t a luxury when I was growing up, and unlike others, I did not remain stupid about the ins and outs of it. Since very young I learnt to prioritize my expenses so I could pay for my school – trust me, there were times I really wanted to enjoy it, but that would have meant not finishing school. It was the hardest thing I lived as a young person.

 My mom and myself have a broken relationship. Sure, we talk to each other, but we are not entirely connected. Unfortunately my mom is somehow, limited. This forced us to not being a mom, a friend, a sister, a confident to one another since pretty much when I turned up 12 years old. It is very sad and I already stopped feeling sorrow for myself. Instead, I feel proud of all the good things I managed to accomplished without this huge part of growing up.  Seriously, I could have turned out pretty bad if I allowed it.

Sometimes I feel like a chameleon. You know, the one that changes colors so that predators do not see them. I also feel because of the rough life I had as a kid, I kind of developed a survival strategy or more like adaptability to people or environments. But this way of living is tiring and has consequences (refer to trust issues and axiety)

I had for a while trust issues. One of the primary survival methods for me was to not trust everything you see, everything you hear or everything they say to you. It is exhausting, I know. I feel like the lack of emotional support system around me made me develop some mechanisms to cope. I have slowly learning how to let that guard down when clearly is not needed.

 I’m still overcoming anxiety. Because of my childhood and lack of emotional support, I never thought that whatever screwed up feeling I had closer to fear was called anxiety. Let alone that it was possible to be cured or manageable. I was very fortunate to have found a free treatment for it, a CBT (cognitive behavioral treatment) – provided by UBC school of psychology. This opened up my eyes towards this disorder and made me know myself even more. While I’m not entirely cured, I would say that I feel close to 95% anxiety free and it’s awesome!

 I am a defender of the weak and the not so fortunate – in other words, I’m against bullying. I hate when people bullied me when I was younger – or even now- and it sucks when I don’t have anyone stepping up to the bully one. Ever since I understand that feeling, I do step up and give some moral –and physical if needed – support to that person being bullied when clearly is an abuse on them. With this in mind, I cry when I hear stories where children, women or the disabled are part of the abuse of these assholes. It makes me really wish I was Dexter and kill them all.

Funny enough, my dad was a bully, and I just realized that as a mature woman. I’m not surprised of the little deviations along my growth considering all the factors around me. Family makes you or brakes you. But in the end, we should be able to pick up the pieces and rise like the Phoenix. And that is what I’m doing now.

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the  code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like.  Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for Let’s BEE Friends!  The linky will remain open all weekend !

Lets BEE Friends with Julie!

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Hey Friends! It’s Friday and I’m happy to be host to yet another bloggy friend today for my weekly link-up #LetsBEEfriends.

Today’s guest is the first BEE Friend feature of the year and I’m excited to share with you that I have Julie from Balancing Mama hanging out with me today.

Julie is “wife to smarty-pants engineer Steve and mommy to spunky Amelia”.   She was recently the featured blogger via the SITS girls! Check out her SITS Day post for a bit more about her blog and why she is a BalancingMama. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her via Twitter.

Now, let’s get to know her!

So happy to be here as a guest today. I am Julie, aka BalancingMama. As any mom can relate, my life is a constant attempt to balance many things at any given time. I am mom to 3 ½ year old precocious Amelia, a wife to a sweet and hard-working husband, a part-time employee in an advertising agency, a Facebook addict, iPhone junkie, and blogger. My DVR is filled with Disney princess movies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and a few Christmas specials I was able to catch this season. Sometimes I am a shopper. Always, I am a friend to those who hold a piece of my heart.

I have learned a tremendous amount about myself, my life, and motherhood in general over the past few years. Here are a few mommy facts that caught me by surprise:
Other mothers can be your best friends. Or sadly, sometimes your worst enemies. I absolutely gravitate towards my mommy friends these days. 99% of my conversational topics are related to my child or my life as mom, and these friends “get it”. They understand why my house looks like a Toy-R-Us explosion. They don’t bat an eyelash if I have dishes on the sink and crumbs on the counter. They do not judge my at-home attire. In fact, they match me quite perfectly. However, I also see a lot of moms judging one another. Criticizing. Gossiping. Treating others with an “I do it better than you” attitude. This hurts my heart because I truly believe we should band together as a mighty mom force. All kids are different. It is okay for mothering to differ as well. We are all making our way through this busy and complicated world – in our own way.

Working from home is much harder than it sounds.  Every time I explain my part-time work-from-home schedule to a working person, they sigh. They wish they could have such a great deal. It all sounds so perfect… right? So I thought as well. But working from home? It is usually exasperating and always challenging. I rarely finish a task uninterrupted. I cannot take any important phone calls. I try my hardest to generate quality work for my boss and my clients as I sit, stand, sit, stand, assist, fix snack, search for toys, work a bit, turn on a show, sit, stand, sit, stand, etc. It is an exhausting day! At least at the office, my coworkers can take themselves to the bathroom. They even fix their own lunches!

Biceps, baby! Oh yes, many areas of my formerly small body have transformed into mush. The scale shows a number that I have never seen before. I could do without most of my new shape, but one new physical trait is not so bad: great arms. A child is a perfect gradually-increasing weight. We lift them in and out of the car, help them up and down the stairs, and on and off a chair. We play, cuddle, and wrestle. I have some serious biceps these days! And yeah… I kind of love them.

What surprises have YOU experienced throughout this amazing parenting journey?

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the  code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like.  Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends!  The linky will remain open all weekend.

Let’s BEE Friends with … Bianca!

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I’m excited today because I’m being host to a special guest. The coolest part is that she’s a local gal right from my very own backyard. Her name is Bianca and she’s the CEO of the blog, Bits of Bee.

I like her for many reasons. First because she’s brunette and super beautilicious. When you see her photos you’ll see what I mean. Second, she has the most adorable little kids. They obviously take after Mom. Last but not least, Bianca is Canadian and everyone knows just how sweet and friendly us folks can be. Eh?

If you don’t already know Bianca, you should subscribe to her blog. You can also seek out her friendship on Twitter where she’s known as @bitsofbee.

In the meantime, stay awhile, sit back and read 10 Things about Bianca right now!

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I’m BEE-yond excited to be hosted by Bruna from Bees With Honey for #LetsBEEFriends this week! When I started my blog (only 5 short months ago), I did a search on Twitter to see if my handle had been taken. I came across Bruna, a fellow Bee who is also from my neck of the woods, and I’ve been a devoted follower ever since!

Here are 10 random things about this Bee that you may not know:

1) I’m allergic to chocolate. Even a chocolate chip will put me in the hospital.

2) I was adopted. Twice. Once when I was 5, and again at the age of 21. Same mom, different dads.

3) I am Macedonian, Irish, African, Swedish, and German, but I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Vancouver, BC. I’m Canadian, eh!

4) I met Princess Diana in 1986. I was in a dance recital she attended during her visit to Expo ’86. She complimented me on my performance and gave me a rose.

5) I’m a career mommy of two with a full-time job as a Marketing/Sponsorship Manager for a major league sports team. I love my job even though I’m secretly not a big sports fan.

6) I have a 9 year old Dalmatian who is constantly mistaken as a 9 month old puppy.

7) I’m a crazy carnivore. Some say I have a meat tooth.

8) My best friend and I were once so caught up in a conversation, we didn’t realize we were being held up at gun point.

9) I can speak French fluently, yet I refuse to do so.

10) I grew up telling people that I was named after Bianca McJagger. It wasn’t until my teen years that I realized that it was Bianca, MICK Jagger’s wife whose name I was given.

That’s me in a nutshell! Through my blog I try to share advice, quotes and anecdotes from a career mommy of two, but I tend to get a little off topic sometimes. Check it out and let me know what you think! Bits of Bee

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the  code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like.  Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends!  The linky will remain open all weekend.  CHEERS !

Let’s BEE Friends with … Germaine!

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I don’t know what it is about Fridays but I love them.

My work week goes from Monday to Wednesday, so really, Wednesday is my Friday. Still, I love it when the end of the week approaches and I do because it marks the beginning of the weekend.  Who doesn’t love weekends and getting time to spend with family?

But before we get to the weekend, lets first meet or get to know yet another potential bloggy friend through my Lets Bee Friends link-up!

Today’s guest was easy to choose. I love her weekly link-up on Wednesdays because it allows me to capture and share special moments and people in my life through photography. It’s called, Picnesday!

Germaine is the fabulousa female behind the blog, Kiddothings.  She has taken up a special place in my heart as I have grown to get to know her and love her. She’s kind, genuine and a supportive friend.  She always leaves me sweet comment love on the blog.  I love linking up my photos with her every Wednesday and you will too. Join in. Everyone is welcome!

If you don’t already know Germaine, you should definitely add her to your friend list. You can find her on Twitter as @Kiddothings  or subscribe to her via her blog, Kiddothings.

But now, let’s see what she has to say to us down below!
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Thank you so much Bruna for sharing your beautiful bloghome with me today. It’s such an honour and a thrill to be featured on Let’s Bee Friends! You have been so supportive of me and my blogging that I can’t thank you enough. You are a true friend.

Hello there! I am Germaine, a SAHM to two children, a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl. For me, motherhood has been, to a great extent, about imparting values and life’s lessons to my kids. I often find myself trying to pass on the principles and traits that would help them grow up to become good people and have a fulfilling life. While I was mulling over what to write, I thought about coming up with a recipe that I’d like to pass on to my kids. I’m nowhere near being a good cook but if there’s a recipe that I hope they will keep and pass it down through generations it would be this – my Recipe for Life.

Here’s what you’ll need…

 Big Dreams

Dream big and have goals. Add spice to something sweet if you must. It may taste funny or it may just become the next hottest creation. And with those dreams and goals, pursue your passions. Nothing is worse than living your life aimlessly and doing something you don’t enjoy.

A load of Hard Work.

Don’t be lazy. Use elbow grease to stir up a dream. Nothing comes without effort. Work hard towards achieving those goals you have set for yourself and you will be rewarded in the end.

Heaps of Self Confidence & A Positive Mind

Be true to yourself and know that you are special in every way. Cook up a storm in life’s kitchen and believe that it will be a success.

A wealth of Gratitude & Humility

Always be thankful for your blessings and be humble. If you have been given everything you need to make this recipe work, appreciate them and be grateful. And being thankful is not just a feeling of appreciation for our blessings, it is also about sharing your blessings with those less fortunate. Give your neighbour a piece of that pie you baked!

A generous amount of Patience

Patience is a virtue that will carry you far and prevent you from ‘boiling over’. It will help you stay calm when the occasion calls for it and help you find the answer to life’s many questions.

Oodles of Fun and Laughter

The secret ingredients to sanity. In all the seriousness of life there should be a good healthy dose of humour and absurdity.

Lots of Love & Respect

And for a deliciously fulfilling life, have and show love and respect for yourself, your God, your family and humankind.

Mix well and let simmer for life.

Best served with your favourite dessert.
Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity Bruna!

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Thanks for reading!
1. Now feel free to link-up a post from your own blog. Grab the  code for my button and add it to your post.
2. Use the linky below. (No giveaways please)
3. Hop around and read as many or as little of the other posts as you like.  Be sure to leave them a little or a lot comment love. ♥
4. Oh and don’t forget to tweet the word that it’s Friday and time for #Let’s BEE Friends!  The linky will remain open all weekend.  CHEERS !

let’s be friends with Amber !

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It’s Friday and time for Let’s BEE Friends!

Are you ready to meet or get to know another blogger?

Ready to link-up one of your own favourite posts or a post you think didn’t get enough comment love?

The rules:

1. I ask that you follow me.

2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.

3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)

4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.

5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥

The linky can be found down below and will remain open through the weekend.

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Today, we get to know Amber from her blog, Stressed Out Mom. Amber writes mostly about her life but focuses on her journey through Motherhood.

“My life can be a little crazy at times and insane.
But it’s my world. Welcome to it.“

Besides being a wife to her husband of 12 years, Amber is also a Mother to three beautiful children of which two are girls and one is a boy. She definitely has her hands full!

I met Amber via Twitter where she goes by @31_Amber_31 and have gotten to know her through the lovely comments she leaves on my blog. Amber is a sweetheart and so fun to talk to on the Twitter. I just had to have her as a guest on Bees With Honey and today is the day.

Now, let’s get to know Amber!

 

10 Things About Me

Wow!  I am so beyond excited that I get to be here with ya’ll today. I mean happy dance excited. Before I get started I just want to say thank you to our lovely and awesome Hostess Bruna for the invite to share a little about me with ya’ll.

Thank you so much.

I am way beyond honored.

My name is Amber Charleen. However around my house you are more likely to hear me called by my other name…Mom.

My husband and I have been together since we were 14 and 16 years old. We are working on our thirteenth year of marriage while raising our three awesome children. We have a nine year old son, seven year old daughter and our baby who is six.

Hmmmm….Well I guess it’s time to get our feet wet and jump right into what makes me Amber.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do here. I’ve always had a bit of trouble when it comes to the “Things about you” kind of post. However I thought this might be the fun way to go because it would get me thinking.

1. I am a dreamer. When I was seven, my Gramma told me that my dreams were as big as the Texas sky. For as long as I can remember I’ve always been a dreamer. I’ve never had a small dream that I didn’t turn into a big DREAM. Walking through a store with me is an adventure as a result. When I see certain items I add them to my dream land.

It’s just who I am.

2. I am TERRIFIED of baths. Yup you read that right. Baths freak me out in a major way. One of the hardest things for me as a Mom was giving baths. In every nightmare I have somewhere in there you’ll find a bathtub. You see I’m not crazy or anything.  Really I’m not. I grew up out in the country. The sticks as most people called it. During the winter the bugs would crawl up through the pipes and make their winter home in the bathtub. Top that off with the fact that my Mom wasn’t the best house keeper when it came to the tubs and you get me: A person who has to give herself pep talks to even take a shower.

3. I don’t eat meat. It’s not a “Meat is murder” thing. Most people assume it’s because my Father was a meat cutter for most of my childhood. Nope not at all. I support all the meat eaters of the world. For me not eating meat has to do with my own personal health. Meats fine and from time to time you’ll find me having a nice medium rare filet migon. So ya it’s differently not a meat is murder thing with me. Not at all.

4. I’m the mother of a special needs child. My baby girl had a rough entry into this world. A c-section gone all kinds of wrong. They used the vacuum on her several times before the surgeon threw it against the wall breaking it. Most people when they hear the vacuum during a c-section they give me this look of horror. It was horrific. My baby girl has a mild form of cerebral palsy, a heart condition, seizure disorder and Aspergers. Her life has been filled with many challenges but she is a fighter. My daughter inspires me on a daily basis.

5. Someone once found my blog by doing a search for “Dirty girls.” I’m pretty sure they were very disappointed when they got to my site and discovered the reason they found me was because I love mudding. I have often said “If you aren’t getting muddy you aren’t having fun.

6. I was in a car accident that changed my life forever. It’s been two years since my accident and we are still in the middle of health and legal stuff. Since the accident I’ve spent more time in the hospital then at home with my family. You know you are there a lot when you walk in the doors and hear “Hey, how’s it going Amber?” from more then one staff member.

I am lucky that I am still alive. Thanks to some of my injuries I have been fighting death left and right. It’s like I’m in a relationship with death. It wants me, it wants me bad, I flirt with it but right when it thinks it has me, I bounce back. It’s a relationship I would really like to get out of.

7. I LOVE TATTOOS! This is something most people find shocking about me. I once had someone go on and on about how “good” people don’t have tattoos. How only the so called “low” lives had them. I let the person dig himself a nice big hole and then I excused myself real quick to my bedroom. When I came out I was wearing shorts. He was still running his mouth about how evil tattoos were and the kind of people that had them. Now everyone but him knew that I had tattoos. Once he took a breathe I asked him what he thought about me. His response was how I was a great person. How I was active in our Church and so on and so forth. His girlfriend then said “Even though she has tattoos?” That day he learned a lesson about being ignorant.

8. I use to weigh over 250 pounds. Seriously I did. It took a lot of hard work but I now weigh 135. I am so thankful for the weight loss. I don’t even want to know what my life would be like now if I hadn’t lost all of it. My advice for those trying to loose weight is to keep your eye on the prize. Find a partner to help you along your journey and never give up. Sure you will have times where you will stumble and fall but get up, dust yourself off and don’t wallow.

9. I LOVE Photography. My Nikon is part of me. Before my accident you never saw me without it. After my accident it took over a year before I could use it again. It was like seeing an old friend the first time I was able to pick it up and take that first photo. I love taking photos so much. I love being able to look back and see my children grow through those pictures.

10. Family. My family is the most important thing to me. They help to make me well … Me. I can’t imagine my life without them. They are my everything. When I think I don’t have anything left I think of them. I think about how my children are my reason to keep fighting. My children are my reason for living.

Well, I guess that’s it. I have enjoyed being here and sharing a little about me with ya’ll. Over the past year I have really enjoyed reading others post here. It’s just so awesome to me to be here now doing the same.

Happy Blogging!

lets BEE friends with … Sarah!

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Who doesn’t love Fridays? C’mon!

Only it’s still Thursday …

Since I’m busy on Friday and gone for the weekend, I thought I’d make Let’s BEE Friends go live one day earlier.

Hope you don’t mind!

Today, I get to honour a friend by having them as a guest on my blog.  If you’re a regular at Bees With Honey, you know what to do but if you’re new, please read on!

Note:  I’ve been leaving the linky open all weekend so more of you have time to link-up a favourite post!


As with all blog hops:

1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ !

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post!

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Today, Sarah from Meet Me At The Fence is visiting me! She came over for some good ol’fashion girl time!  I’m serving her my special made vanilla lattes and drilling her with tons of questions.  If you already know Sarah, you won’t be surprised to learn that she’s a mommy to four beautiful kids and a wife to a loving husband.  If you don’t know her, you better run on over and check out her blog and follow her on Twitter as @MamaRiceCake !  You will thank me later.

Sarah is nuttin but a whole lot of sweetness in a friend. You’ll love her the instance you friend her. I did!

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1. How long have you been blogging and why did you start one?

I originally started a blog back in 2007 because my husband was deploying to Iraq and I was getting so many emails from extended family, distant relatives, and friend of friends that I couldn’t answer them all AND take care of my 4 kids who happened to all be 5 years old and under at the time. It was an easy way to share information about our family. I wrote about how he was doing and how we were doing, etc. But, I abandoned that space shortly after he came back home and fewer people were asking how we were doing.

I started The Fence back in February. I’m tired of the typical jerky Christian stereotypes. It’s irritating when people assume certain UNTRUE things about me on the basis of some loud-mouthed jerks who don’t talk or think anything like me. It’s not much different than when the rest of the country thinks that everyone in The South lives in a trailer, dresses like The People of Wal-Mart, are missing teeth, and are uneducated, illiterate hicks. That’s not even close to being true. BUT that’s who ends up on TV and who is interviewed after natural disasters… and so, that’s what the world thinks we’re all like. I started writing The Fence to set at least SOME of the record straight about life as a person following Jesus. I’m far from perfect. I have crazy days as a parent. I second-guess some parenting choices I’ve made. But I love my family and I love my God and I’m trying to live a life that isn’t just “for show”. Hopefully, people who read it catch on to that. Hopefully, some minds will be changed about ALL Christians being bigoted jerks that think they’re perfect.

2. What’s the story behind your blog’s name?

I actually tell the story behind the name on my blog. Winking smile The short version goes something like this:

I wanted to build a space where I wrote and told stories that sound like things I’d say while sitting with friends in my backyard. Our backyard selves aren’t as guarded or pretentious as our front-yard selves. We hang out with our closest friends on patios and decks with cold drinks and just talk about life. We’re REAL in that space. That’s how I wanted my blog space to be… just honest about life and love, struggles and humor, and honesty about some of the tougher lessons I’ve learned in practicing my faith. I talk a lot about my family… Dave and the RiceCakes (that’s what we call our kids) and stuff that is going on in our lives. Hopefully, most people think the stories about my kids are funny instead of eye-rolling! (I’m so NOT Kathy Lee Gifford!)

3. Give us a brief synopsis of your family.

I met my husband Dave when I was 17. He joined the Navy and we had a long distance relationship while he was in Kosovo and I was in college at the University of Arkansas. When his full-time commitment to the Navy was up and he was starting his Reserve duty, we eloped in Las Vegas when I was 20 and moved back to Fayetteville, AR where I was majoring in Poultry Science w/ a minor in French. We had Jack and Abi there before we moved to lower Alabama. We built a house and Jack and Joshua were born. All four RiceCakes were born within a span of 4.5 years… yes, that means I was pregnant for 3 years of the first 5 years of my marriage. It was puke-tastic! The RiceCakes all currently between 5 and 10 so, I’m WAY OUT of the baby stage of mommying. We’re just getting to the really good stuff… the stuff the kids will remember… as a family! We just celebrated our 11th anniversary in July and I wouldn’t change a thing.

4. What do you find most rewarding about blogging?

I really love a good story. I’ve talked about that a lot. I love hearing that something I’ve written made someone laugh… or think something over. The feedback is fun. I really didn’t expect that it would be as fun as it is. I love hearing other people’s stories. I really didn’t expect to make such good friends via the interwebs. I didn’t expect that military spouse community would have as big of an impact on my heart as it has had. I didn’t expect that other parents would be as encouraging… as Non-judgmental… as they really are. I’ve been blogging about stuff that’s important to me… sometimes getting ranty… for 7 months and I haven’t had to deal with anyone bullying or picking fights. The people I’ve come in contact with are so awesome. Such a broad slice of the world makes up my bloggy space and Twitterverse. We’ve had some really interesting conversations and they’ve really renewed my love for people. The connection to other people is hands down the BEST thing about blogging.

5. Think dumb reality show. What is the one thing no amount of money could get you to eat?

In spite of the fact that I live in The South… I don’t share the love for pickled weird things. I have this silly running joke with Jessica (from My Time as a Mom) on Twitter about the weird pickled stuff in some of the grocery stores down here. Things like pickled eggs… or pigs’ feet… or ox tails. Gag me with a spoon! I’ve never seen anyone buy them. Surely someone IS right? Why else would it be in the store? I will NEVER eat anything pickled beyond cucumbers! You couldn’t pay me to try it. I’d absolutely Technicolor Yawn! 

6. If Hollywood wanted to make a movie of your life, which celebrity would you want to play YOU?

When I was a kid, I used to get mistaken for Soleil Moon-Frye (aka Punky Brewster) when I was out with my family. Seriously, I had people come up to me at Dodger games to ask me for my autograph. They were bummed when I wasn’t her. Although, I really think that had more to do with my wardrobe choices as a kid than what my face looked like. ha ha!

Sandy Bullock (yeah, we’re buddies… I call her “Sandy”… she just doesn’t know it yet.) does a decent Southern accent without coming across like an outright hick. I’m pretty sure that she wouldn’t be a pill to work with… that little kids would like her… and telling her my story (so she’d play me with “the right motivation”) over happy hour on my back deck would be a pretty great way to spend my time. She’s pretty darn good at portraying real people. I like that about her.

7. Part 2 – Which celebrity would you choose to play your husband and why.

Matt Damon would make a pretty good Dave. They both have great smiles, talk slow, and have a love for cargo shorts and beer. Smile I’d like to hang out with him and get him to teach me how to fight people with phone books and Bic pens a la Jason Bourne. Plus, I think kids would like him… and you can’t make a movie about me and Dave without KIDS in it! “How do ya like THEM apples?!”

Side note: why the heck haven’t Sandra Bullock and Matt Damon already made a movie together?! I’d watch it! It’d make a fortune. Dang! I need to copyright that idea!

8. Have you ever been to a blogging conference? If yes, which one? If no, do you plan to in the near future?

I haven’t been to any blogging conferences. I have no definite plans to attend any in the near future. #wineparty on Twitter might be as close to a blogging conference as I ever get! At this point, it would probably just be a Girl’s Weekend kind of trip! ha ha! Financially, that’s not in the cards… unless someone wants to start one in Mobile, AL so I could drive! I don’t know that blogging will ever be more than a hobby but, I’d LOVE to meet my best bloggy buddies IRL! Look out world, that much AWESOMESAUCE in one place might cause a tear in the space-time continuum!

9. What is your favourite time of the day? Least favourite? Explain why for both.

I try to embrace MOST times of the day. I like spending time with my kids. I like hanging out with Dave. I like alone time. I am a night owl. Anyone who’s talked with me on twitter knows that. Dave worked nights for YEARS and I’m used to get lots of stuff done late at night while I’m waiting on him to get home. I like that time when everything’s quiet and everyone else is sleeping. To me, that sounds like contentment… and peace… and feels like all the time in the world.

I HATE early morning wake ups. Seriously. I freakin’ hate ‘em. I would rather stay up all night than get up really early. I’d rather take a red eye late at night than go to bed and try to make the first flight of the morning. Early mornings feel rushed and chaotic and like there’s not enough time to do what needs doing. I hate that feeling.

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What would you like to be or not be doing?

I’m one of those weird people who doesn’t really like to think too much ahead. I like to try to enjoy the “right now” instead of looking too far forward. “No one is promised tomorrow” right? That’s not to say that goals aren’t a good thing. In five years, the RiceCakes will be between 10 and 15, and two of them will be starting high school. I hope that we’ll be making lots of fun memories as a family. I hope that they’ll each know how loved they are and that THAT chunk of time, that was SO hard for me, will be easier for them. Dave will have almost 20 years in the military at that point… he’ll be closing in on retirement, and we’ll have at least one more deployment under our belts. Hopefully, I’ll find ways to manage that life gracefully. Hopefully, I’ll still be telling stories about life and love and lessons I’ve learned. Hopefully, I’ll still be friends with most of my tweeps… and hopefully, we’ll have spent some time together IRL.

Bonus: This question is to be made up by you. You get to ask yourself something. It can be anything.

11. (as suggested by Dana from What Were We Thinking) Describe your perfect vacation with kids AND without kids.

I actually really like going places with my kids but, my favorite place to take them is Holiday Island. Every 3 years, my Dad’s side of the family (YES, the Arkansas WINERY side of my family) has a family reunion at Holiday Island… which is just outside Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It’s so fun. 100 + people show up from all over the country… from 3 different forks in our family tree… for all the fun and loving you could possibly handle. They swim at the pool. They water ski on a lake where the Arkansas and Missouri state line crosses the water. They hold a Memorial golf tourney to pay tribute to my Grampa. And they host a Fun Run because they’re crazy. They usually have a Talent Show which no one wins… but usually results in my Dad laughs so hard that he almost throws up. There’s a massive BBQ/potluck and 4 or 5 generations of people all hang out and catch up. They had out “awards” made out of paper plates for ridiculous things…. my great uncle had both his knee replaced and he got the “Fewest Original Parts Award!” It’s awesome. 5 years ago was the first time I was able to take the kids… it was the coolest thing EVER to see them playing on a playground that I played on myself as a kid. I moved so much growing up that I don’t really feel like I have a “hometown.” The place I graduated high school from doesn’t feel like “home” at all. Holiday Island is the closest thing I’ve got. Letting my kids see a place that was important to me, with people I just love, is the perfect vacation to take them on. Letting them see where their family comes from… meet all kinds of distant cousins… and start relationships with family members they’d never meet otherwise is pretty darn fabulous.

As far as going on vacation without the kids… I’d love to go someplace beachy and do next-to-nothing. There’s a place in Bora Bora where you can stay in huts over the water and watch fish swim threw a glass floor… you have your own private pool… and room service. To me… having quiet time like that, swimming in sunshine and ocean… with Dave… and not having to take care of anyone else would be AWESOME. The price tag would be INSANE… but I know what I’d spend part of my jackpot on if I ever win the lottery! ha ha! For now, I’d love to just go hang out at Gulf Shores sans bebes for a few days and call it good! Down time + water = relaxation.

The Fence

let’s BEE friends with … Leighann !

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I love Fridays.

Besides it being the end of the work week and the beginning of the weekend, it’s the day I get to honour a friend by having them as a guest on my blog.  If you’re a regular, you know what to do but if you’re new, please read on!

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been leaving the linky open all weekend so more of you have time to link-up a favourite post! 

As with all blog hops:

1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ !

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post!

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My guest today is Leighann from Multitasking Mumma!

Leighann describes herself as …

“Hardly serious, witty mother of one, surviving PPD, motherhood, and a messy husband”.

She writes about the pain of Post Partum, the bumps and joys of being a mom, and the annoyances of being a grown up.

I love her because she’s a sweet gal, she’s Canadian AND she’s fun to hang out with at #wineparty via Twitter.

Be sure to follow her on Twitter as @MultitaskMumma

Now let’s get to know her and maybe she’ll BEE your friend!

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1. How did Multitasking Mumma come to be the name for your blog? Any story behind the name?
Originally my blog name was “The Endless Rant of a Multitasking Mumma.” When I began blogging I wanted to ensure I would have a name that would reflect what I would be writing about for a long time – ranting, yelling, complaining, etc.
That didn’t turn out to be so true to my style after all, however, I do multitask and I ROCK at it!!

2. When did you begin blogging and why?
I began blogging in January 2011, not that long ago in human years, but in blogging years that is FOREVER!! I started because I was feeling isolated and anxious with my newborn. I  needed somewhere to write down the hundred million thoughts than were running through my head everyday and a place to connect with other moms.

3. Tell us about your first exposure to Twitter? Was there any one blogger or Tweet Friend that welcomed you and showed you the ropes? Please share.
I first signed up for twitter long before I began blogging. It freaked my freak but I persevered. I creeped bloggers and their blogs, I learned about blogging and how to promote my posts, and I researched.
When I finally did begin tweeting it was @MamaRobinJ and @Latorres who I connected with first. They encouraged me, answered my questions, and encouraged my excessive stalking.

4. I believe everyone was born with special gifts. What would you say is your special gift(s)?
Besides my ability to pull a throat punch out of my purse? I can read people and situations very well. I am almost never wrong and I always trust my intuition.

5. Tell us about your family. How did your husband come to be the man you chose to spend the rest of your life with?
I have a daughter, she is 16 months old and the most amazing gift I have ever been given. I had no idea that THIS is what motherhood would be like. I am blessed and scared out of my mind.
Brian will officially become my husband next year… we committed a sin and had a baby before we were married.
It was fun.
Send your hate mail to Bruna.
We aren’t married, therefore, I have not decided if he’s the man I choose yet.
HAHA, just kidding.

6. What, would you say, has been the most challenging part of Motherhood for you?  My battle with Post Partum. It sucked big time, there’s no other way to describe it. BUT thanks to blogging, supportive friends, and my family I got through it.

Also? Having to raise an independent, responsible adult and relinquish control. I want to be selfish and keep her in my protective care FOREVER…. But I know that won’t fly.

7. We have something we complain about when it comes to our appearance. What is one thing you love about your body?  ACK! Hard question.
I want to say pass and have @sellabitmum answer this.. She’s who I envision myself looking like when I close my eyes!
But truly it isn’t a body part I love most about myself (I know this wasn’t the question) it is a characteristic. I love my exuberance. I love my excited nature and hope I never lose it.

8. How do you balance blogging and being a Mom and working outside of the home, if you do?  Has anyone else answered this question successfully?
Did they have a good answer?
Can you send me their schedule?

9. Is there anything in your life you wish you could have done different?
I do not regret anything I have ever done.
Except once.
I dyed my hair pink by accident.
As an adult.
It’s hard to look people in the eye with bright pink hair and pretend you don’t have bright pink hair.

10. What is it for you? Flip flops or Stilettos? Yoga wear or the latest trends? Make-up or none at all? Hair done or ponytail?
All of the above!
I wear heals, dress clothes, and make-up to work (sometimes my hair is not brushed depending on how quickly I got ready).  After work and on the weekends I wear yoga pants and a t-shirt, flip flops and a messy pony-tail (bra optional).

11. Where do you see your blog in the next year.
I see Multitasking Mumma growing through new partnerships, sponsors, and guest posts. Of course the awesome content will be ever present!!
I hope to keep improving and growing as I meet new friends, take part in meme’s, and maybe attend a conference.

let’s BEE friends with … Carri!

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TGIF … and time for linking up for Let’s BEE Friends Friday!

As with all blog hops:

1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ !

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post!

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Today I’m featuring my friend, Carri from Adventures in Mommyhood. Her blog is a humourous take on the adventures of parenting a wild child. Said child’s name is Blake and if you ever see him (which you just might today) you’ll just want to squish his super cute, super chubby cheeks.

I love Carri and I read her everyday because she’s a whole lot of funny and she knows how to have fun. When she’s not cracking me up on her blog she’s entertaining all on Twitter’s Friday night #wineparty. She is the queen of Twitter Jail there. If you’re not following here yet, you really should. She’s da bomb!

“Born and raised in the mean streets of a Southern Californian suburb.  Lover of all things horses, water skiing and vodka”.

She is definitely a cool Mom!

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How long have you been blogging and how have you or your blog evolved over time?
I first started blogging back in October, when a friend of mine told me that I should write down everything Blake does. I thought to myself, I’m too lazy to physically write in a journal or scrapbook! One of my favorite gossip sites, www.popsugar.com, does blog hosting, so that’s where I started out. I gave the link to a couple of my friends and had comments here and there, but when I published “Mommy’s Boobies: An Open Letter to Blake”, I had comments and page views from people I didn’t know. It turned out that www.lilsugar.com featured my post on their site and it was driving traffic to mine. Needless to say, I was hooked after that! I had a total of five posts featured on their network.

About six weeks later, moved over to the Blogger platform and then in April, I made the switch to self hosted WordPress.

Along the way, I’ve gone from writing solely about Blake to writing about anything that pops into my head. I feel like the tag line of my blog (“A Humorous Take on the Parenting of a Wild Child”) is outdated, so I’m currently coming up with some ideas for a new tag line.

What did you do before becoming a Mommy and starting your own blog? Before I became a mom, I would spend my money on vacations and clothes. Now, we do fun things as a family… It just has to be cheap!

If you were to design a t-shirt that you wear when you vlog, what would it say or what would you put on it?
There are two things I need in order to vlog: A ribbed tank (which I always wear during the summer) and my Pimp Cup. I think the Pimp Cup came to be during a wild night at #wineparty, but I couldn’t be sure.

I’m on the lookout for a new and improved Pimp Cup, but I won’t give up my ribbed tanks!

Tell us about your weekly memes. How can we participate?
I participated in a couple of link ups when I first started blogging, but didn’t like sifting through the giveaways to find posts with actual written content. I also didn’t like feeling pressured to follow someone just because they started following me (You know those comments: “I’m your new follower! Follow me back!”). So, I came up with “Sunday Funday” to go along with the Martini Toting Mommy look of my blog. I had 30 linkups last Sunday, and I’m really excited that so many talented people come to post their links and find new blogs. I always take the time to read each post and comment, even if it takes me all week to do so!

On Wednesdays, I write “Shut Your Face”, in which I pluck someone from either the headlines or everyday life and write a post about why I think they need to drop off the planet. I’ve written posts about solicitors, annoying celebrities (and pseudo celebrities), and Victoria Secret sales girls, to name a few.

On Thursday, I always participate in “Throat Punch Thursday” with Debi from The Truth About Motherhood. I always save Throat Punch for people who are so moronic that I want nothing more than to roundhouse kick their head right off their body. I’ve Throat Punched Gwyneth Paltrow (for obvious reasons, right?), Justin Bieber, Special Agent Oso and my own husband, who was pissing me off during March Madness. NOBODY IS SAFE!

If you could do-over any stage of your life up until now, which stage would it be and why?
I refuse to live with any regrets. Life is a series of lessons and if you’re busy looking back, you’re not looking forward. Of course I sometimes wonder what might have been, but only for a second.

When I was in high school, I had two close guy friends that I used to run around and get in trouble with. One night, we decided to do burnouts in front of one friend’s house when his dad came running out of the house screaming at us. He was super pissed, and through gritted teeth, he asked us why the *^&$@ we did that. My friend replied, “It seemed like the thing to do at the time.”

“It seemed like the thing to do at the time” is a pretty good life motto, if you ask me!

What would say is the best and worst thing about you? Explain.
I’m honest and fiercely loyal, and I have a strong sense of right and wrong. I think a lot of people are lacking that these days. And as you can tell by my picture, I try not to take life too seriously.

The one thing I really wish I could control better is the fact that I am affected by other people’s moods. I have to make a conscious effort to stay away from people who trigger my anxiety.

What are your plans for this summer? Any vacations planned?
I absolutely LOVE summer, and now that I’m back in Ventura County, I’ll be spending some much needed time at the beach! I’m really looking forward to spending time with Blake now that he’s old enough to do some fun things. I’m also looking forward to doing some things my husband and I used to do before we first moved, like drive down PCH to Malibu for a cup of coffee, or go up to Ventura and walk around the harbor.

Also? Summer = BBQ and I love to BBQ! I only use coal and there’s something so relaxing about sitting on the back porch with a drink while watching the grill.

How do you balance blogging and being Blake’s Mommy? Do you have a schedule or routine that you follow?
We just recently moved, so any sort of schedule I had is out the window, but I try to get as much as I can done while he’s napping or in bed for the night.

I ALWAYS find the time for #wineparty. After a rough week, I love getting on Twitter and socializing with my favorite tweeps. Being a responsible adult sucks sometimes, so I like to have fun when I can!

let’d BEE friends with … Rach!

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It’s that time again.  Time to meet new bloggers and spread the sweetness of *honey*.  As you already know, every Friday, I feature a blogger I love and enjoy reading.

Today is Friday, so let’s link-up!

As with all blog hops:

1. I ask that you follow me.
2. Grab the button from the sidebar and include it in your post.
3. Link up your favourite post from the week. (no giveaways please)
4. Visit other bloggers who have linked up. Follow who you like.
5. Spread the honey by leaving them some sweet old ♥ comment love ♥ !

The linky can be found at the bottom of this post!

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Today, I’m featuring a sweet gal I’ve recently connected with via Twitter. She’s a new Mom and the CEO of Life With Baby Donut! Rach’s blog is all about the goings-on of her family, especially her sweet little daughter. She’s a must read and a must follow. You can find her on Twitter as @DonutsMama .

And now without further babble by me, I present to you, my friend Rach!

1. When and why did you start blogging? I started blogging in January after my daughter was born.  I really wanted a place to record my thoughts and all of my daughter’s milestones.  However, my daughter was really colicky the first few months so the blog got put on the back burner because I was just trying to survive new motherhood!  I started again in April, but by then I decided that my blog was a little place just for me.  I still talk about my daughter, but I record her milestones in a journal that’s just for her.

2. How did you come up withe the name for your blog? Donut was what we called our baby when we found out we were pregnant–I didn’t want to call the baby “It.”  My husband came up with Donut as part of an inside joke.  So when I first started my blog, and since my original intent was to write about her, I just used her nickname as my blog name.  I kind of wonder if I should change it though.

3. Tell us a few things about yourself before you became a Mom. Hmm…this is kind of hard because it’s hard to remember anymore!   Actually, before I got married & became a mom, I traveled a lot.  I’ve traveled all over Europe, went to Mexico and took several trips around the US with my girlfriends.  Sometimes I miss those days but am really glad I got to do that before settling down.  I was working as a tax CPA before I became a SAHM.  Also, before I got pregnant, I was taking acting classes.  It was something I’d always wanted to do and it was AWESOME.  I really miss it and hope to get back when Donut is a little older.
4. Do you have a hobby? A favourite pastime? Something you’re passionate about? Please share and elaborate.  I have so many hobbies.  I feel like a Jill of all trades, but a master of none.  I like to sew, cook, read and as I mentioned above, I love acting.  But I suppose my favorite activity is knitting.  My grandmother used to knit when I was little and I loved watching her.  I was always fascinated by it.  So a few years ago, I decided to take a knitting class at a local yarn shop and fell in love with it.  There is just something very gratifying about creating something with your own hands.  Oh yeah, and I love blogging ;)

5. Which Sex in the City character are you most like and why? Ha!  That’s easy: Charlotte!  All my girlfriends said so too when we were single.  I was the rosy optimist looking to find my one and only true love [insert rainbows and unicorns here].  Charlotte had a great quote in one of the first episodes that cracks me up: “I’ve been dating since I was fifteen.  I’m exhausted.  Where is he?”  And true to Charlotte form, I fell for a guy that I never thought I would and it was the best decision ever.

6. If we were to look inside your fridge right now, what foods would we find? Leftovers which usually consist of chicken a la something, cheese (I’m a mouse), and chocolate chips (yes, I keep them in the fridge).

7. What are your 3 top pet peeves? I suppose my top 3 would be people who talk LOUDLY on their cell phones out in public (because they want us to know what a fab life they live??), people who speed through school zones, and rude salespeople–that’s got to be my number one.

8. What is the best part of your body and why? Oh wow.  This is a hard one because like all women, I obsess over what I wish were different, like I wish I were taller or my arms were more toned.  But since you asked, I guess I will say I like my lips.  I used to think they were too big for my face, but then I kind of grew into them, and then everyone was getting collagen injections to have big lips.  So I now I appreciate them more and I have an obsession with lipstick so it’s all good!

9. If you were going to be granted a do-ever of a part of your life up until now, which part would you do-over and why? College life.  I wish I had let myself just relax and have more fun.  I was so shy and scared of the world–it was my first time away from home and I should have had more fun with it.  Plus I was such an over-achiever then and I obsessed about my grades.  I’m proud of my college success, but I think I could have balanced things out much better.  Hindsight is always 20/20, eh?

10. What is the best part about blogging for you? Explain. I love to write.  Sometimes it’s really hard for me to get motivated,but blogging keeps me accountable to it.  It’s a great outlet for me to explore my creativity and just be who I am.  Because of the nature of my job, I’d gotten so rigid in doing things a certain way, following directions to a ‘t’.  Blogging is very freeing because there is no right or wrong way to do it.  I can just be me.  And of course, I love meeting new friends through my computer because sometimes in my “real life” it’s really hard to be spontaneous and get out with a 5 month old.